Question 1

What does a Shopify agency actually do?

Accepted Answer

A Shopify agency designs, builds and develops stores on Shopify. That might be a brand-new store, a migration from WooCommerce or another platform, or improvements to an existing store such as a new theme, fewer and better apps, integrations with accounting and couriers, and conversion work. You get strategy, design and development from one team instead of juggling freelancers.

Question 2

How much does it cost to hire a Shopify developer?

Accepted Answer

It depends on whether you need a customised theme or a fully custom design, how many products are migrated and which systems the store connects to. As a benchmark, Bark's 2026 UK guide puts agency-built ecommerce websites at roughly £5,000–£15,000. After a first call we send a fixed proposal, so you know the cost before work starts.

Question 3

How long does it take to build a Shopify store?

Accepted Answer

A store on a customised theme with a modest range is the quickest route. Custom design, several apps and integrations, or migrating years of data from another platform take longer. Product data and photography are usually the biggest variables. We agree a timeline with clear milestones before we start, so you can plan your launch.

Question 4

Do you build custom Shopify themes or use ready-made ones?

Accepted Answer

Both. A good premium theme that we customise often goes a long way and keeps costs down. When your brand, range or customer journey needs more, our Shopify developers build a custom theme with Liquid and Online Store 2.0 sections, so your team can still edit pages without code.

Question 5

Can you take over and improve our existing Shopify store?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We start with a review of your theme, speed, apps and checkout, plus the data in Google Analytics. Then we propose improvements in order of impact, starting with the changes most likely to lift conversion or cut costs, such as removing apps you're paying for but no longer need.

Question 6

Can you build a Shopify store for B2B and trade customers?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Shopify supports B2B with company accounts, customer-specific price lists and payment terms, mainly on Shopify Plus. We set it up so trade customers can log in and reorder themselves, while retail shoppers see standard pricing. For simpler needs, apps can cover wholesale pricing on a standard plan.

Question 7

Can you set Shopify up correctly for UK VAT?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We configure tax settings so prices display including VAT for UK consumers, set up the right rates for products that are reduced or zero-rated, and make sure invoices and order data flow correctly into Xero or QuickBooks. Your accountant should still confirm your VAT position, but the store will be set up to match it.

Question 8

Can the store sell to several countries and languages?

Accepted Answer

Yes. With Shopify Markets one store can show different languages, currencies and prices per country, for example GBP for the UK and EUR for Ireland. Our Shopify developers set up the markets, translations and delivery rules, and check duties and taxes are handled correctly for each region you sell to.

Question 9

How much does Shopify cost per month in the UK?

Accepted Answer

Shopify's UK plans are Basic at £19 a month (£25 billed monthly), Grow at £49 (£65) and Advanced at £259 (£344), with yearly billing giving the lower price. Card payments through Shopify Payments start at 2% + 25p on Basic. Apps and a premium theme add to that, so we help you pick only what you need.

Question 10

Is Shopify a good fit for UK businesses?

Accepted Answer

Yes, for most retailers. The store runs in pounds with VAT-inclusive pricing, Shopify Payments handles cards and wallets, buy now, pay later options like Klarna can be added, and Shopify by Xero is a free accounting integration. Delivery apps connect to UK couriers, so orders flow from checkout to dispatch without manual work.

Question 11

What is Shopify Plus?

Accepted Answer

Shopify Plus is Shopify's plan for larger businesses, with more automation, deeper checkout customisation, B2B features and support for high order volumes. Most merchants start on a standard plan and only move up when the extra features or lower transaction costs clearly pay for the higher fee. We'll help you judge when that point arrives.

Question 12

When is Shopify not the right fit?

Accepted Answer

If you want to own and control all of the code, already run a lot of content in WordPress, or need very specific product logic or checkout flows, WooCommerce or a headless build may suit you better. We compare the options honestly, including running costs, before you commit to a platform.

Question 13

Which Shopify theme should we choose?

Accepted Answer

Choose based on your range and how your customers shop, not the demo photos. A fast theme with strong product pages, filtering and mobile navigation beats a beautiful theme that loads slowly. We shortlist themes against your needs, test their speed and then adapt the chosen one to your brand.

Question 14

Can we run a blog and normal pages on Shopify?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Shopify has a built-in blog and standard pages, so your store and content live in one place and share the same design and navigation. That's useful for SEO, because buying guides and articles can link straight to collections and products. For heavy content needs we can also connect a headless CMS.

Question 15

How secure is Shopify?

Accepted Answer

Shopify handles hosting, security updates, SSL certificates and secure payments, and the platform meets the card industry's PCI DSS security standard. You don't need to manage servers or patch software. Your part is good account hygiene: two-step authentication for staff, sensible permissions and only installing trusted apps, which we set up with you.

Question 16

How do you migrate from WooCommerce to Shopify?

Accepted Answer

We export and clean products, variants, customers and order history, import them into Shopify and rebuild the design on a suitable theme. Every old URL gets a 301 redirect to its new address, and page titles and descriptions are carried over. The whole store is tested on a preview before we switch the domain.

Question 17

Will we lose Google rankings when moving to Shopify?

Accepted Answer

Not if the migration is done properly. With a redirect from every old URL, the same or better content and correct metadata, you usually keep your visibility. Shopify's URL structure differs from WooCommerce, so the redirect map matters. After launch we watch Google Search Console and fix any crawl errors quickly.

Question 18

Can Shopify connect to Xero or QuickBooks?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Shopify by Xero is a free integration that sends sales, fees and payouts into your accounts, and QuickBooks has connectors too. We set up the integration and the account mapping so orders, VAT and payments are recorded without manual entry, and build custom flows when you need more.

Question 19

Which Shopify apps do we really need?

Accepted Answer

Fewer than most people think. Every app adds a monthly cost and can slow the store down, so we choose only what's genuinely needed: usually reviews, email marketing, delivery and perhaps subscriptions. Where possible we build features into the theme instead, which keeps the store faster and cheaper to run.

Question 20

Do we own the store and the data?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The Shopify account, the domain and all customer and order data are in your business's name from day one. We work with collaborator access you approve and can remove at any time. You're never locked in, and if you change agency, everything stays with you.

Question 21

Can we move from Wix or Squarespace to Shopify?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We move products, pages, blog posts and customers from Wix, Squarespace and other platforms, set up redirects so old links keep working, and rebuild the design so the new store feels like an upgrade rather than a copy. Moving is often worth it once you outgrow a website builder's basic shop features.

Question 22

What happens to customer accounts and passwords in a migration?

Accepted Answer

Customer records, addresses and order history can be moved, but passwords can't be transferred for security reasons. Instead, customers receive an invitation to activate their account on the new store. We help you time and word that email so it feels like a welcome rather than a security alert.

Question 23

Can you look after our Shopify store on an ongoing basis?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Our Shopify developers help with new features, campaign pages, app changes and troubleshooting whenever you need it, either ad hoc or on a monthly retainer. We also review performance regularly, so the store keeps improving after launch rather than slowly drifting out of date.

The Shopify agency for stores that sell

Everything you need from a Shopify agency

New Shopify store

We connect Shopify to the tools you already use

Store and payments

Finance

Marketing and data

Why so many UK brands choose Shopify

How we build your Shopify store

Strategy & plan

Design & theme

Build, apps & integrations

Launch & growth

A finished Shopify store, not just a theme

For businesses that want to grow on Shopify

You're starting on Shopify

You're moving to Shopify

You're on Shopify but undersell

Got a Shopify store that should be selling more?

More on websites and ecommerce

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Ecommerce website cost in the UK: every cost of starting and running an online shop

Website redesign: 9 signs it's time, and how to do it without losing rankings

How to choose a web design agency: 12 questions to ask first

What we build beyond Shopify

Website Design

Ready to grow?

Migration to Shopify

Apps and integrations

Checkout and payments

Conversion and growth

Support and development

Questions about hiring a Shopify agency